Romantics looking for everlasting love will swoon over a new love equation released just in time for Valentine's Day and which can calculate the right age to fall in love.
The equation nicknamed the "Fiancee Formula" was created by an Australian mathematics professor and works by factoring in the age at which you start looking for a long-term partner and the absolute oldest age you would consider getting married.
"Although probability isn't the most romantic basis for a marriage, the formula does seem to fit a lot of couples -- whether through accident or design," said the equation's creator, Professor Tony Dooley at the University of New South Wales.
"There's no reason why the science can't be extended to calculate the best moment to marry," Dooley said in a statement.
However, love birds take note, the mathematical equation for love only has a 37 percent success rate.
The formula is helpful as a guide for the right moment to start getting serious, but could also be used by nervous men to calculate when to avoid the ultimate commitment, said Dooley.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Blizzard drives down crime in Washington
The blizzard that hammered the US east coast with record-breaking snowfall and icy winds had a plus side: it drove down crime in Washington, a police spokesman said Thursday.
"Last night, we had very few reported crimes," Lieutenant Nicholas Breul told AFP.
"Every morning, we put out a report of serious crimes, and this morning it was very, very low," Breul said. "Certainly, the weather had to be a factor in that."
No homicides have been reported in the US capital since February 3, when a few inches of snow fell on Washington and the surrounding area.
That was followed at a weekend storm which together with Tuesday's blizzard dumped several feet of snow on the eastern United States, making the winter of 2009-2010 the snowiest on record in Washington and neighboring states.
The season's snowfall total in Washington DC reached 54.9 inches (139.4 centimeters) Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
That's more than the past five winters combined, which saw around 48 inches of snow fall on the US capital.
As of Tuesday, 10 homicides had been committed in Washington since the start of the year, a fall of 41 percent from the 17 homicides reported in the US capital at the same period last year.
But Breul refused to pin the fall in the murder rate solely on the snow.
"The weather may have contributed to the fall in homicides, but historically, there have been times when we've gone for two weeks in good weather with no homicides," he said.
"Last night, we had very few reported crimes," Lieutenant Nicholas Breul told AFP.
"Every morning, we put out a report of serious crimes, and this morning it was very, very low," Breul said. "Certainly, the weather had to be a factor in that."
No homicides have been reported in the US capital since February 3, when a few inches of snow fell on Washington and the surrounding area.
That was followed at a weekend storm which together with Tuesday's blizzard dumped several feet of snow on the eastern United States, making the winter of 2009-2010 the snowiest on record in Washington and neighboring states.
The season's snowfall total in Washington DC reached 54.9 inches (139.4 centimeters) Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
That's more than the past five winters combined, which saw around 48 inches of snow fall on the US capital.
As of Tuesday, 10 homicides had been committed in Washington since the start of the year, a fall of 41 percent from the 17 homicides reported in the US capital at the same period last year.
But Breul refused to pin the fall in the murder rate solely on the snow.
"The weather may have contributed to the fall in homicides, but historically, there have been times when we've gone for two weeks in good weather with no homicides," he said.
Baraboo man accused of using stun gun on 'sinner'
A Baraboo man was accused of repeatedly shocking a male dance instructor with a stun gun, claiming the instructor was a "sinner" who "defiles married women." A Dane County prosecutor said the suspect, 59, hastily arranged a dance lesson at the instructor's Madison home and showed up with a stun gun and sledgehammer last Friday. The criminal complaint said the man told a detective that his church does not condone touching while dancing and that he was going to scare the instructor "and tell him to leave the women alone."
The Wisconsin State Journal said the instructor told police that the suspect phoned for private dance lessons, and when he opened the door to his home, he began to shock him repeatedly in the neck with the stun gun.
The Wisconsin State Journal said the instructor told police that the suspect phoned for private dance lessons, and when he opened the door to his home, he began to shock him repeatedly in the neck with the stun gun.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Camel burger newest "healthy" option on Dubai menu
A traditional Emirati restaurant in Dubai has added a new entree to its menu billed as a fat-free choice for carnivorous but health-conscious diners: the Camel Burger.
For 20 UAE dirhams ($5.45), the Local House restaurant offers a quarter pound camel burger, loaded with cheese and smothered in burger sauce, the Xpress weekly newspaper reported on Thursday.
Ali Ahmad Esmail, Local House assistant manager, told the paper that the burger patties were fat- and cholesterol-free. But he declined to say how the outlet tenderized the tough camel meat.
"It's a trade secret," he said.
Camel meat is widely eaten in some Arab countries, but is not typically sold in supermarkets or served in restaurants.
The paper reported that Local House said it was the first to introduce the burger in the United Arab Emirates. A fast food outlet in neighboring Saudi Arabia put baby camel burgers on its menu last year.
The camel burger, a hit with residents and tourists, could soon also be on offer in the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower formerly known as Burj Dubai, where Local House may open a branch, the paper said.
The burger is served with fries or potato wedges, and the paper suggested it could be washed down with a soft drink or a camel milkshake, also available in Dubai.
For 20 UAE dirhams ($5.45), the Local House restaurant offers a quarter pound camel burger, loaded with cheese and smothered in burger sauce, the Xpress weekly newspaper reported on Thursday.
Ali Ahmad Esmail, Local House assistant manager, told the paper that the burger patties were fat- and cholesterol-free. But he declined to say how the outlet tenderized the tough camel meat.
"It's a trade secret," he said.
Camel meat is widely eaten in some Arab countries, but is not typically sold in supermarkets or served in restaurants.
The paper reported that Local House said it was the first to introduce the burger in the United Arab Emirates. A fast food outlet in neighboring Saudi Arabia put baby camel burgers on its menu last year.
The camel burger, a hit with residents and tourists, could soon also be on offer in the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower formerly known as Burj Dubai, where Local House may open a branch, the paper said.
The burger is served with fries or potato wedges, and the paper suggested it could be washed down with a soft drink or a camel milkshake, also available in Dubai.
Fifth of adults choose pet over partner on Valentine's Day
Rather than spending Valentine's Day with their partner, one fifth of adults would prefer to be with their pet, although the French still came top for romance, according to a joint global poll by Reuters/Ipsos.
The survey of 24,000 people in 23 countries found 21 percent of adults would rather spend February 14 with their pet than their spouse, although the French were least likely to choose a furry friend over a human with only 10 percent taking that option.
But the survey found that age and income were more of a determining factor than nationality when it came to romance, with younger, less affluent people more likely to choose their pet as their Valentine's Day companion.
John Wright, senior vice president of Ipsos, said 25 percent of people aged under 35 opted for their pet over their partner compared to 18 percent of those aged 35-54 and 14 percent of people aged 55 plus.
Men and women were evenly split over the question.
Those choosing pets over people were also more likely to be those who have a lower income (24 percent) compared to those who were middle or higher income earners (20 percent).
"Likely defying stereotype, the desire to spurn a partner for a pet is not rooted in gender but rather age and even there it seems the older you are, the least likely it is you'd choose pet over partner," said Wright.
"While there are country differences, it's more of a personal choice made by younger and less affluent individuals."
On a country-by-country basis, residents of Turkey were the most likely, at 49 percent, to choose their pet over their spouse or partner.
Next came India with 41 percent, then Japan with 30 percent, China with 29 percent, the United States with 27 percent and Australia with 25 percent.
On the other hand, the nations where residents were the least likely to want to spend the day with a pet instead of their spouse or partner were France at 10 percent, Mexico 11 percent, the Netherlands 12 percent and Hungary at 12 percent.
About 1,000 individuals participated on a country by country basis via an Ipsos (http://www.ipsos.com) online panel with weighting employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflected that of the adult population according to the most recent country census data.
The survey of 24,000 people in 23 countries found 21 percent of adults would rather spend February 14 with their pet than their spouse, although the French were least likely to choose a furry friend over a human with only 10 percent taking that option.
But the survey found that age and income were more of a determining factor than nationality when it came to romance, with younger, less affluent people more likely to choose their pet as their Valentine's Day companion.
John Wright, senior vice president of Ipsos, said 25 percent of people aged under 35 opted for their pet over their partner compared to 18 percent of those aged 35-54 and 14 percent of people aged 55 plus.
Men and women were evenly split over the question.
Those choosing pets over people were also more likely to be those who have a lower income (24 percent) compared to those who were middle or higher income earners (20 percent).
"Likely defying stereotype, the desire to spurn a partner for a pet is not rooted in gender but rather age and even there it seems the older you are, the least likely it is you'd choose pet over partner," said Wright.
"While there are country differences, it's more of a personal choice made by younger and less affluent individuals."
On a country-by-country basis, residents of Turkey were the most likely, at 49 percent, to choose their pet over their spouse or partner.
Next came India with 41 percent, then Japan with 30 percent, China with 29 percent, the United States with 27 percent and Australia with 25 percent.
On the other hand, the nations where residents were the least likely to want to spend the day with a pet instead of their spouse or partner were France at 10 percent, Mexico 11 percent, the Netherlands 12 percent and Hungary at 12 percent.
About 1,000 individuals participated on a country by country basis via an Ipsos (http://www.ipsos.com) online panel with weighting employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflected that of the adult population according to the most recent country census data.
Cattle battle: NZealand has more cows than kiwis
WELLINGTON, New Zealand – New Zealanders who for decades have endured jokes about being outnumbered 20-to-1 by sheep have a new farm animal majority to worry about: cows.
A record 5.8 million dairy cattle were counted in the year ended June 2009, Statistics New Zealand said Tuesday — well more than one animal for each of the country's 4.3 million citizens.
In contrast, sheep numbers declined to some 32 million in 2009, less than half the peak of 70 million reported in 1982.
"Increased numbers in the milking herd have resulted in there being one milking cow for every New Zealander," farm statistics manager Gary Dunnet said. "In 2009, New Zealand had fewer than eight sheep per person."
The new figures are unlikely to do much to discourage the ribbing New Zealanders often get on the topic get when they travel abroad.
Australians in particular tease their near neighbors in the Pacific Ocean about the popularity of sheep in New Zealand, usually in jokes of questionable taste.
In the popular HBO series "Flight of the Conchords" about two New Zealand musicians living in New York, a tourism poster hangs in an office of the country's consulate showing a flock of sheep staring out and the slogan: New Zealand Ewe Should Come. The 2006 movie "Black Sheep" made fun of the disparity in a dark comedy about genetically mutated sheep who turn on their owners on a New Zealand farm.
Statistics New Zealand said cow numbers last year were 4 percent higher than in 2008 and up 76 percent from 3.3 million in 1989.
The dairy herd's expansion was due to the conversion of sheep and other farms to the more lucrative dairy industry and to the growth in the number of milking cows in existing herds.
A record 5.8 million dairy cattle were counted in the year ended June 2009, Statistics New Zealand said Tuesday — well more than one animal for each of the country's 4.3 million citizens.
In contrast, sheep numbers declined to some 32 million in 2009, less than half the peak of 70 million reported in 1982.
"Increased numbers in the milking herd have resulted in there being one milking cow for every New Zealander," farm statistics manager Gary Dunnet said. "In 2009, New Zealand had fewer than eight sheep per person."
The new figures are unlikely to do much to discourage the ribbing New Zealanders often get on the topic get when they travel abroad.
Australians in particular tease their near neighbors in the Pacific Ocean about the popularity of sheep in New Zealand, usually in jokes of questionable taste.
In the popular HBO series "Flight of the Conchords" about two New Zealand musicians living in New York, a tourism poster hangs in an office of the country's consulate showing a flock of sheep staring out and the slogan: New Zealand Ewe Should Come. The 2006 movie "Black Sheep" made fun of the disparity in a dark comedy about genetically mutated sheep who turn on their owners on a New Zealand farm.
Statistics New Zealand said cow numbers last year were 4 percent higher than in 2008 and up 76 percent from 3.3 million in 1989.
The dairy herd's expansion was due to the conversion of sheep and other farms to the more lucrative dairy industry and to the growth in the number of milking cows in existing herds.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Woman seeks "Jessica Alba" makeover to win back lover
A Chinese woman is seeking extensive plastic surgery to look like U.S. actress Jessica Alba, mainly because she hopes to win back her boyfriend who she said always wished she looked more like the Hollywood star.
The 21-year-old, who would only give her name as Xiaoqing, said she was devastated after she broke up with her lover, an ardent fan of the actress who has starred in hit movies such as "Fantastic Four" and "Into the Blue."
Xiaoqing, who works at an Internet firm in Shanghai, said that during their 18-month-long relationship, her 28-year-old boyfriend had been obsessed with Alba, adorning their apartment with her photographs and talking about her constantly.
She said that while her boyfriend had not forced her to look like Alba, he always hinted that the wanted her to resemble his favorite star and even bought her a blonde wig to wear.
A month ago, Xiaoqing left her boyfriend, whom she did not name, because his Alba obsession became too much for her. But now she says she can't get over the break-up and wants him back.
"When I broke up with my boyfriend, I was very sad," she told Reuters at the Shanghai Time Plastic Surgery Hospital which has agreed to help her fulfill her wish.
"My friends... kept consoling me but it did not work, so they suggested I do plastic surgery to look like her (Jessica Alba)."
The hospital said Xiaoqing would need multiple surgeries to alter her eyes and nose so that they would resemble Alba's. They also agreed to do it for free to showcase their surgery skills.
Hospital director Jiang Shan said he had personally spoken to Xiaoqing and advised her to think seriously about the procedure.
"If she wants to look much better than she does now, for example if she wants her skin to look smoother and her overall facial facade to look more beautiful, I think we are able to help her fulfill her wishes," Jiang said.
"But if she wants to totally look like Jessica Alba, I would think she is still not confident of herself and that she needs to solve this problem psychologically."
Shortly after the break-up, Xiaoqing posted a comment on a local web forum asking for help to win her boyfriend back.
She said that despite the many bloggers who advised her against having cosmetic surgery, she was keen on it.
"As a member of the younger generation in this country, I have a choice to decide what I want in life," she said.
"I have never been able to let him go. If in the end he still does not accept me after I undergo the plastic surgeries, I will give up. I will then choose to let go, start afresh and live life by myself," she added.
Xiaoqing said she would speak to her mother, who lives in Hubei province, while visiting home during the annual lunar new year holiday before making a final decision.
The hospital said it was not unusual for young women such as Xiaoqing to undergo cosmetic surgery to look like celebrities.
The government estimates billions of yuan are spent each year by Chinese on plastic surgery, which is seen by many as a way to boost job or marriage prospects in a highly competitive society.
The 21-year-old, who would only give her name as Xiaoqing, said she was devastated after she broke up with her lover, an ardent fan of the actress who has starred in hit movies such as "Fantastic Four" and "Into the Blue."
Xiaoqing, who works at an Internet firm in Shanghai, said that during their 18-month-long relationship, her 28-year-old boyfriend had been obsessed with Alba, adorning their apartment with her photographs and talking about her constantly.
She said that while her boyfriend had not forced her to look like Alba, he always hinted that the wanted her to resemble his favorite star and even bought her a blonde wig to wear.
A month ago, Xiaoqing left her boyfriend, whom she did not name, because his Alba obsession became too much for her. But now she says she can't get over the break-up and wants him back.
"When I broke up with my boyfriend, I was very sad," she told Reuters at the Shanghai Time Plastic Surgery Hospital which has agreed to help her fulfill her wish.
"My friends... kept consoling me but it did not work, so they suggested I do plastic surgery to look like her (Jessica Alba)."
The hospital said Xiaoqing would need multiple surgeries to alter her eyes and nose so that they would resemble Alba's. They also agreed to do it for free to showcase their surgery skills.
Hospital director Jiang Shan said he had personally spoken to Xiaoqing and advised her to think seriously about the procedure.
"If she wants to look much better than she does now, for example if she wants her skin to look smoother and her overall facial facade to look more beautiful, I think we are able to help her fulfill her wishes," Jiang said.
"But if she wants to totally look like Jessica Alba, I would think she is still not confident of herself and that she needs to solve this problem psychologically."
Shortly after the break-up, Xiaoqing posted a comment on a local web forum asking for help to win her boyfriend back.
She said that despite the many bloggers who advised her against having cosmetic surgery, she was keen on it.
"As a member of the younger generation in this country, I have a choice to decide what I want in life," she said.
"I have never been able to let him go. If in the end he still does not accept me after I undergo the plastic surgeries, I will give up. I will then choose to let go, start afresh and live life by myself," she added.
Xiaoqing said she would speak to her mother, who lives in Hubei province, while visiting home during the annual lunar new year holiday before making a final decision.
The hospital said it was not unusual for young women such as Xiaoqing to undergo cosmetic surgery to look like celebrities.
The government estimates billions of yuan are spent each year by Chinese on plastic surgery, which is seen by many as a way to boost job or marriage prospects in a highly competitive society.
Ancient dialect extinct after last speaker dies
One of the world's oldest dialects, which traces its origins to tens of thousands of years ago, has become extinct after the last person to speak it died on a remote Indian island.
Boa Sr, the 85-year-old last speaker of "Bo," was the oldest member of the Great Andamanese tribe, R.C. Kar, deputy director of Tribal Health in Andaman, told Reuters on Friday.
She died last week in Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which were hit by a devastating tsunami in 2004.
"With the death of Boa Sr and the extinction of the Bo language, a unique part of human society is now just a memory," said Stephen Corry, director of Survival International, an organization that supports tribes worldwide.
"Boa's loss is a bleak reminder that we must not allow this to happen to the other tribes of the Andaman Islands," he said in a statement.
Kar said Bo was one of the ten dialects used by the Great Andamanese tribe.
According to Survival International, there are now only 52 members surviving members of the tribe, which is thought to have lived on the Andaman Islands for as many as 65,000 years, making them descendants of one of the oldest cultures in the world.
The Great Andamanese had the biggest population of all the island tribes until the early 20th century.
Originally 10 distinct tribes, the Great Andamanese were 5,000-strong when the British colonized the Andaman Islands in 1858. Most were killed or died of diseases brought by the colonizers, Surival International said.
The surviving Great Andamanese depend largely on the Indian government for handouts and alcohol abuse is rife.
The cluster of more than 550 Andaman and Nicobar islands, of which only about three dozen are inhabited, are home to six tribes of Mongoloid and African origin, who have lived there for thousands of years.
The current home of the Great Andamanese is Strait Island, a small island of Middle Andaman Region.
Boa Sr, the 85-year-old last speaker of "Bo," was the oldest member of the Great Andamanese tribe, R.C. Kar, deputy director of Tribal Health in Andaman, told Reuters on Friday.
She died last week in Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which were hit by a devastating tsunami in 2004.
"With the death of Boa Sr and the extinction of the Bo language, a unique part of human society is now just a memory," said Stephen Corry, director of Survival International, an organization that supports tribes worldwide.
"Boa's loss is a bleak reminder that we must not allow this to happen to the other tribes of the Andaman Islands," he said in a statement.
Kar said Bo was one of the ten dialects used by the Great Andamanese tribe.
According to Survival International, there are now only 52 members surviving members of the tribe, which is thought to have lived on the Andaman Islands for as many as 65,000 years, making them descendants of one of the oldest cultures in the world.
The Great Andamanese had the biggest population of all the island tribes until the early 20th century.
Originally 10 distinct tribes, the Great Andamanese were 5,000-strong when the British colonized the Andaman Islands in 1858. Most were killed or died of diseases brought by the colonizers, Surival International said.
The surviving Great Andamanese depend largely on the Indian government for handouts and alcohol abuse is rife.
The cluster of more than 550 Andaman and Nicobar islands, of which only about three dozen are inhabited, are home to six tribes of Mongoloid and African origin, who have lived there for thousands of years.
The current home of the Great Andamanese is Strait Island, a small island of Middle Andaman Region.
Ohio strip club hosts 'Lap dances for Haiti'
A strip club in Ohio has raised $1,000 for Haitian earthquake relief during what was billed as "Lap dances for Haiti." Marilyn's on Monroe in Toledo donated the $10 cover charges collected Saturday to ISOH (I-S-O-H)/IMPACT, an organization based in suburban Perrysburg that provides food and clothing for Haiti.
Marilyn's general manager Kenny Soprano says his establishment had been looking for a reason to hold a charity fundraiser even before the quake, as a way to improve its image. He says you don't hear much about strip clubs giving back to the community.
ISOH/IMPACT CEO Linda Greene doesn't have a problem with where the money came from. She says her group appreciates any donations to help Haiti.
Marilyn's general manager Kenny Soprano says his establishment had been looking for a reason to hold a charity fundraiser even before the quake, as a way to improve its image. He says you don't hear much about strip clubs giving back to the community.
ISOH/IMPACT CEO Linda Greene doesn't have a problem with where the money came from. She says her group appreciates any donations to help Haiti.
Rotten radishes prompt gas leak calls in Ohio
An Ohio fire department says the smell of decaying radishes prompted calls from residents worried about a possible gas leak. Tiffin Township Volunteer Fire Department near Defiance in northwest Ohio responded to five reports of suspicious smells in the last 45 days. A field of oilseed radishes, planted as a cover crop that adds nutrients to the field, is near a natural gas compression station and a gas exchange station.
Tiffin Township Fire Chief Jamie Wonders said each run to investigate the odor takes about an hour. The agency responds to calls even when it suspects the smell is from the radishes.
Mark Reynolds, a pipeline technician with the TransCanada natural gas compression station, said the gas stored at the facility is odorless.
Tiffin Township Fire Chief Jamie Wonders said each run to investigate the odor takes about an hour. The agency responds to calls even when it suspects the smell is from the radishes.
Mark Reynolds, a pipeline technician with the TransCanada natural gas compression station, said the gas stored at the facility is odorless.
Man tries to buy crack with credit card
Authorities said a man accused of stealing a car then reporting it stolen remains in custody after telling police he was robbed at gunpoint while trying to buy crack cocaine with a credit card. The Flint Journal said the man reported Thursday night that a 2003 Chevy Malibu had been stolen.
Police reports indicated the vehicle was previously stolen out of Lapeer, about 50 miles north-northwest of Detroit.
The suspect is being lodged at the Genesee County Jail.
No further details were released.
Police reports indicated the vehicle was previously stolen out of Lapeer, about 50 miles north-northwest of Detroit.
The suspect is being lodged at the Genesee County Jail.
No further details were released.
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